


Say It Out Loud

by SunSweet



Category: The Walking Dead RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 10:57:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10762857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunSweet/pseuds/SunSweet
Summary: After sensing something is upsetting her, Khary pays Melissa a visit. He knows she's a mess with Norman back in town because she's in love with him - but will Melissa ever admit the truth?





	Say It Out Loud

He rang the bell for the second time and then knocked loudly. “Mel, open up. I know you’re in there. You just texted me 10 minutes ago and said you’re home.” Khary banged again, “Come on. I brought coffee.” 

The door flew open and she stuck her hand out. Khary handed over the venti Starbuck’s cup with a smile. “Thank you,” Melissa said, looking at him with a pout that perfectly matched the red nose and puffy eyes. “You can go now, I’m fine.” 

“Nope, you’re not,” he said, gently pushing past her before she had the chance to shut the door. “You weren’t your usual self when we were texting.” 

Melissa scoffed, “Oh come on. You can’t tell that from a text.” 

“Actually I can,” he replied, flashing her a grin. “I gave you ample opportunity to respond with a pun at least 3 times and you didn’t take the bait - not once.” Mel was very quick witted and she was always ready with a pun that either made you groan or belly laugh. 

“Don’t you dare think I missed them completely,” she warned. “I just wasn’t in the mood.” 

“Thus, I have arrived. Your own personal mood improver,” he responded with a flourish. 

Melissa stopped walking and stared at him. “Okay you can seriously go now. You’re way too chipper and you’re annoying me.” 

Khary laughed and kept walking towards the kitchen. Melissa was always honest - it was one of the million things that he, and everyone else who met her, loved about her. He took a seat at the table and moments later she sat across from him with a scowl. “Oh wow, that bad huh?” He motioned towards the cheesecake in front of her, then grabbed the fork and had a bite. “Feels like we’re in an episode of the Golden Girls, doesn’t it?” It was barely 10am so she’d clearly been eating cheesecake for breakfast. 

“I did have a slice around midnight, too,” she sniffed. He was pretty sure she’d almost smiled. “I get to be Sophia and you’re Rose,” she added. Khary caught a glimpse of the usual sparkle in her eyes when he started into a story about St. Olaf. 

Eventually her face cracked and she couldn’t hold back the smile any longer. “Yes,” he raised a fist triumphantly. 

Melissa sighed. “Shut up.” 

Khary studied her for a moment. Melissa was gorgeous. With make up, without make up, with her hair done or bed head - it didn’t matter - she was just naturally beautiful inside and out. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he said gently. It was a formality. He knew exactly what was wrong and when she lied to him and pretended it was something else he was fully prepared to call her on it. 

But she was one step ahead of him. “You already know, and when I make something up you’re going to push until I tell you the truth.” Filming season 7 they had spent a lot of time together. He loved Melissa instantly - everyone did. But it took a while until he knew she truly trusted him. Losing Steven was extremely hard on her, paired with the fact that she wasn’t getting to film with her close friends - the people who had become family over the years, Khary sensed she was a bit lost. He knew that her and Lennie were close and he was glad for her that she got to film a lot with him at least. Eventually, though, they hit it off and by the fall they were very good friends. Being that close meant they could read each other well and given both their intellectual nature and interest in psychology, they often challenged each other by calculating the other’s next move. 

“Oh good, glad we got that out of the way early,” he replied. Khary took another bite of the cheesecake and then continued. “So have you seen him at all since he got back home?” 

“This isn’t his home,” Melissa said bitterly. “New York is his home. This is just a get away while he works.” 

“I think you’re wrong,” Khary challenged her. “Sure, his kid is in New York and it will be home for that reason, but he loves it here, we all do. It’s a second home and I’ll be honest, it will shock me if he doesn’t make this his primary home once Mingus goes off to school.” 

“Why would he?” she whispered, sounding very childlike in a way Khary hadn’t witnessed with her before. 

“Because he loves you and this is where you are.” He didn’t pull any punches or dance around the issue. 

“No,” Melissa shook her head. “He’s moved on. It’s okay, though. I don’t blame him. I told him to. He should be happy. He deserves to be happy.” Khary wondered who she was trying to convince - him or herself? 

He realized there were a few things Melissa needed to know. “I had lunch with Jeffrey yesterday,” he said, testing the waters. She looked interested so he continued. “Did you know that she flew here? Called Norman from the airport and asked him to come pick her up. He didn’t know she was coming, she wanted to surprise him.” Melissa nodded politely. He really didn’t see any bitterness towards the “other woman” and it surprised him. But it also reminded him that Mel was truly one of a kind. “She was flying to LA and took a stop over in Atlanta, planning to spend the night with Norman and fly out the next morning.” Melissa looked a bit perplexed as to why he was telling her this story, but she listened patiently while he got to the point. “Anyway, he refused to go pick her up. He said he needed a break and told her to get on the next flight to LAX.” 

“He really can be a jerk sometimes,” Melissa replied. It wasn’t the response he’d expected, but one didn’t often get a usual response with Mel. 

“Has he tried to visit? Asked you to come see him?” Khary asked. 

“I’ve been ignoring his calls,” Mel replied. “I need some time to get used to him being around again so it’s not going to make things uncomfortable for anyone, especially at work.” Melissa was a professional through and through and he knew there was no way anything going on in her personal life would ever affect her work. 

“He’s in love with you. And you - are in love with him too,” Khary stated what he thought was the obvious. 

Mel shook her head. “Nope. I ended things. He accepted it and moved on. It was never about love.” 

“Then why are you refusing to see him? Why are you sitting here on a gorgeous day crying into your cheesecake? Why are you so insufferably stubborn?” His voice got a little louder and little more dramatic as he got on a roll. “If you love somebody, tell them. Just say the words. Say it outloud. You can’t hide the truth. It’s not right.” 

“What makes you so damn sure I’m in love with him? Or that he’s in love with me?” Melissa shot back, fire in her eyes. 

He wouldn’t back down from her though. Some might, but not him. “When we went to that AMC event in New York you asked me to ride with you and stay close. I didn’t pressure you to tell me why because I knew you were keeping your distance from Norman and I respected that. I actually believed you were serious and it was over between you two. But what happened the second we got there? The minute you two laid eyes on each other?” She stared back at him and didn’t answer. “What happened Mel? Tell me.” 

“I spent the entire night with Norman and Jeffrey,” she muttered sheepishly. 

“The way you two looked at each other when he walked into the room - wow,” Khary sighed. “I knew right then that what you had was far from over. I knew that look and what it means because that’s the way I look at my wife.” He smiled at her. “That’s why I didn’t fight it. I let you be with him because I knew that’s where your heart already was.” Melissa looked grumpy again, likely because she knew he was spot on. “Tell me something else - did you have fun?” 

“I did,” she admitted. “For a few hours it felt like old times and I’ve stewed over it ever since.” She wrung her hands. “I was okay though, I got over it - until I knew he was back here - so close.” 

“Melissa, call him.” He lifted her cell phone off the table and held it out to her. “Right now. Dial his number and ask him to come over. Do it.” She shook her head. “Mel, please - call him. Believe me - he loves you.” 

“Then why did he stay away?” She sniffed, tears filling her eyes. “He always comes to visit during the off season. Always. Even before we were - doing whatever it was we were doing.” 

“He stayed away because you wanted him to. He stayed away because he knew if he didn’t that you would let him back in. He stayed away because he loves you Mel, not because he doesn’t. Norman was respecting your wishes and you’re faulting him for it.” 

“But I wanted him to fight for me,” she whispered. “He didn’t fight - he gave up.” 

“Oh, sweetie,” Khary reached out and took her hand. “He’s a man. He takes things literally. If you told him it was over and you didn’t want to see him anymore he believed it. I promise you he didn’t give up on you, he just believed you when you said he’s not what you want.” 

“He’s not,” she shook her head. “He’s egotistical and reckless and he can be the biggest asshole when he gets moody. And he can’t ever sit still and talks way too much - “ her voice changed. “He’s always making time for the fans, especially kids. He’s kind and caring. He would do anything to help his friends and he’s way smarter than anyone gives him credit for. He’s got a gypsy soul and he’s so creative and artistic.” Khary was smiling by the time she was finished. She’d went from listing his faults to listing all the things she loves about him. 

“Say it out loud,” Khary prodded her. 

“Say what?” Melissa wiped away a tear. 

“That you love him. Just say it.” 

She rolled her eyes, sighed and groaned, but she did it. “Fine. I love him. I’m in love with Norman.” 

“I love you, too,” Came a voice from the hallway. 

“Norman,” she gasped in shock. “What? How?” She looked at Khary for explanation. 

“He was waiting in the car. I picked him up on the way, figured if all went according to plan you might actually call him and he’d already be here,” he shrugged. 

“I got kind of bored sitting there,” Norman admitted, still keeping his distance. “Sorry.” 

Once Melissa looked back at Norman and their eyes finally met and locked it was as if they were the only two people in the room - in the world even. “It’s okay,” Mel whispered, slowly getting to her feet. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls,” she added, taking a few tentative steps in his direction. “How much did you hear? How long were you there?” 

“Long enough,” Norman replied. Khary had never heard Norman speak so tenderly. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Melissa had no answer. “I don’t - I don’t know.” 

Finally the tension broke, “C’mere.” Norman opened his arms and Melissa quickly moved into his embrace. Khary had to hold himself back from jumping up and doing an embarrassing happy dance. As the two of them hugged he found himself mesmerized by the scene unfolding in front of him. It was like that epic moment in a sappy romcom that gives even the manliest of men the heart flutters. 

He watched as Norman tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. He’d seen the two of them kiss before, but it wasn’t anything like what he was watching before him. The two of them had never admitted their love for one another and this was their first real, genuine kiss that wasn’t just lust or sexual in nature. 

It wasn’t long before Khary started to feel like he was intruding on something that was too personal and intimate for anyone to see but the two involved. Filled with a sense of accomplishment and the warm fuzzies of seeing two people so deeply in love, he slipped past them without a word and headed for his car. Norman would find his own way home - though Khary doubted he was actually going home anytime soon. 

“If you love somebody, tell them. #SayItOutloud.” - Khary Payton, Twitter - April 29, 2017.


End file.
